Scoring struggles continue to frustrate Stockton

STOCKTON - The Thunder's new forward paid immediate dividends, and it acquired another one on Friday. But Stockton continues to struggle to score goals.

Scott Linesburgh

STOCKTON - The Thunder's new forward paid immediate dividends, and it acquired another one on Friday. But Stockton continues to struggle to score goals.

Maxime Boisclair scored in his first game with the Thunder, but the Utah Grizzlies came from behind with three goals in the third period to win 4-2 in front of 4,256 at Stockton Arena.

Before the game, Stockton announced it traded for the rights to veteran forward Shawn Weller from the South Carolina Stingrays in exchange for longtime Stockton defenseman Cameron Brodie and future considerations. Weller currently is on loan to the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League.

The Thunder (21-16-7) has lost three in a row for the first time this season and is 2-3-1 in its past six home games. Stockton had a 2-1 lead going into the third period and the Grizzlies (16-18-5) took the lead on goals by Ian Schultz and T.J. Battani. Mitch Wahl scored an empty-netter with 56.2 seconds remaining.

Stockton had its opportunities, including a 4-minute power play in the third, in which it failed to get off a shot.

"We're in a funk," Thunder coach Matt Thomas said. "It's not the end of the world, but what needs to happen is that we need to dig deeper. It's a great challenge for us, and we have to find a way."

Boisclair was signed as a free agent on Thursday and last played with Arlan Kokshetau in Kazakhstan. His first-period goal was his first in the ECHL since Dec. 21, 2008, when he helped the Ontario Reign beat the Thunder 6-2 in Ontario.

The 6-foot and 209-pounder muscled his way inside and knocked the puck past Utah's 6-5 goalie Andrew Engelage on assists from Colton Hayes and Harrison Reed.

The Grizzlies tied the score 1-1 6:10 into the second period on a power-play goal by Schultz, and the Thunder answered to retake the lead 13 minutes later on a power-play goal by Reed, his 15th of the season.

Weller, 26, has played 374 professional games, 294 in the AHL. He had 46 points in 42 games for Bakersfield in 2009-10 and was selected to the ECHL All-Star team.

Said Thomas: "Getting a chance to acquire an elite-level forward like Shawn doesn't come around often and was too good to pass up."

Brodie, 24, played 124 games with the Thunder in three seasons (2010-13).